What is a primary benefit of increasing the receiver bandwidth in MRI?

Increasing the receiver bandwidth in MRI primarily decreases chemical shift artefact. Chemical shift artefact occurs due to differences in the resonance frequencies of fat and water protons. When the bandwidth is increased, the frequency range over which the receiver captures the signals expands, which helps in reducing the effects of this artefact. The broader bandwidth allows for better sampling of the spins in the tissue, leading to improved frequency resolution that effectively separates fat and water signals, thereby mitigating the overlap that causes the artefact.

This adjustment also leads to various trade-offs in imaging. For example, while increasing the receiver bandwidth can enhance the clarity of fat and water separation, it may also influence the signal-to-noise ratio by reducing the amount of time spent accumulating signal. Nonetheless, the primary advantage revolves around minimizing chemical shifts, facilitating more accurate imaging and diagnosis.